WAYS TO AVOID CONVERSION TO CATHOLISM

Conversion story by Albert Little –

As a Protestant convert to Catholicism whose journey culminated at the Easter Vigil earlier this year, I have some
experience, oddly enough, in how to become a Catholic. For me, it was a particular, miraculous journey that I’ve
been writing about for a few months now. For me, I can trace certain lines—a certain narrative—through nearly a decade’s long journey. In my own journey, I can check off certain boxes and say, definitively, yes, that made me become a Catholic.

So, naturally, I wanted to help others to avoid a similar fate.

For me, it’s too late, but there’s hope for you. If you can, with the help of our Lord and your closest friends and family, avoid these certain pitfalls, while I can’t promise, I can assure you that you’ll have a much easier time avoiding the trap that I fell into.

Friends, I offer some unsolicited advice: here’s how to not become a Catholic.

1) Don’t Read Scott Hahn

One of the first mistakes I made as a Protestant was to read Scott Hahn.

Do not read Rome Sweet Home.

2) Don’t Read Church History

A second, major mistake that I made was to read Church history—the history of Christianity

Do not read The Reformation by Diarmaid MacCulloch.

3) Don’t Read the Early Church Fathers

A third mistake that I made was nearly fatal: I began to read the Early Church Fathers.

4) Don’t Meet Any Great Catholics

The next mistake you might make is to meet some great Catholics. Don’t do it

5) Don’t Start Living Like a Catholic

But, if you’ve already met devout Catholics there’s still hope, even at this late point in the journey I can offer this solid piece of advice.

Don’t start living like a Catholic.

6) Don’t Give God an Inch

But maybe there’s still hope, maybe the slope is not yet too slippery.

7) Don’t Pray

Also, whatever you do, don’t pray.

8) Don’t Let Your Faith Be Challenged

Finally, friends, if you’ve come this far I’m not sure what else we can muster up but I’ll surely try.

Conclusion

We must dig in, friends, and dig in deep. We must read all the authors we’ve always read. Visit all the websites we’ve always visited. Spend time in conversation with friends who only agree with our points of view and refuse, at all costs, to challenge the faith we’ve always known.

We haven’t grown complacent—no way!—we’ve grown confident in our faith. We know what we believe! We’re not scared to think about the Bible, the Sacraments, or the Christian Church in a new way. Nothing scares us, we’re simply too busy or too happy with the way things are right now. We won’t be challenged because we don’t need to be.

After all, Jesus taught that change is bad, complacency is good, and we can get to Heaven by doing what we’ve always done.

Right, Pharisees?

Although, if you’ve come this far, and all else fails, maybe you should just become a Catholic. I know I am.